Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Authorities searched the area to figure out how the fire started and if there could be more tripwires than one spotted near the home. According to a statement from the Dallas County Sheriff's Office, Norton allegedly "confessed to the murder of Cassidy Rainwater," who was reported missing on Aug. 25. Cassidy was reported missing by a family member in August but reports say she was last seen on July 25th. Authorities said Norton told them that he knew that Rainwater was being held at the home of Phelps and that she had been kept in a cage, court records show. About a week later, a Dallas County detective went to Moon Valley Road and spoke to Phelps about the missing-person case. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice said Wednesday in a Facebook post that the seven photos also showed Rainwater's body on a gantry crane, which is commonly used for deer processing, where she was disemboweled and dismembered before her body was placed in a bathtub. The defense opposed this request based on state Supreme Court requirement that allows for only a 30-day period. On the night of Oct. 4, a day before Phelps and Norton were scheduled to appear in court, Phelps' home burned to the ground. Norton's lawyer, Brenden Twibell, told the Springfield News-Leader the new charges were expected and Norton will plead not guilty. A home belonging to James Phelps. And some say to the community. The woman was described as sleeping when the attack took place. Waiting for your permission to load facebook comments. The red dot is where Phelps' cabin sits. Nortons attorney has said he intends to plead not guilty. Phelps' case was moved to Jasper County last week. A report, first obtained by local news outlet, Murder Charges Filed, Human Remains Found in Missouri Case That Fueled Gruesome TikTok Rumors, It Is Easy for a Person to Disappear: Accused Murderer Suggests Missing Wife Ran Away, E. Jean Carroll Recounts Extremely Painful Rape, Trump Stays Home Shitposting, Too Twee or Not Too Twee: Meet the People Behind the Wes Anderson TikTok Trend, CIA Director, Noam Chomsky Named in Epstein's Private Calendar: Report, Drake, Will Arnett Celebrate Toronto Maple Leafs' (Long-Awaited) Postseason Triumph, Meet the YouTube Creator Busting Crypto Scams, Twitter to Allow Media Publishers to Charge Per Article, Want to Make Cash As a Creator? Terry told authorities that the last time Rainwater was seen was about six weeks earlier and she believed that a James Rainwater was the last person to see her. When investigators searched Phelps' property, court documents say they found Rainwater's remains in a deep freezer in packages labeled 7-24, the last day Rainwater is believed to be alive.. Prior to the request, a preliminary hearing in Phelps case was scheduled for Nov. 5. The mystery surrounding the fate of a Missouri woman who vanished over the summer has finally been solvedbut the details about what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater are more ghastly than anyone could have imagined. Police note that their investigation into Rainwater's murder continues, and asks that anyone who believes they may information concerning this case call the Dallas County Sheriff's Office at 417-345-2441. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. Authorities say they have no reason to believe there are any other victims associated with Phelps and Norton at this time.. Other photos allegedly showed "Cassidy's body bound to a gantry crane, commonly used for deer processing, and her evisceration and dismemberment. How do I keep bugs off my patio this spring? On Sept. 16, the FBI received an anonymous tip about photos that appeared to depict a partially clothed Rainwater confined to a cage. If these people have committed such horrible crimes as they are accused, I hope the legal system prosecutes them to the fullest extent, said the woman. Cassidy Rainwater's remains were found labeled "7-24" in a freezer. Cassidy Rainwater Dallas County Sheriff's Office That tip led the FBI to Dallas County, about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, and launched what became a secretive, weeks-long criminal. On Sept. 16, 2021, the Dallas County Sheriffs Office received intel from the FBI that led them to James Phelps' property in Windyville. Terms of Use | Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Cassidy Rainwater's remains found on accused kidnappers' property in Missouri, court docs reveal During a search, investigators on the scene of the Moon Valley Road property found the. It was unclear Thursday if either man had gone before a judge to plead to the new murder charge. 2023 Telepictures Productions Inc. That tip led the FBI to Dallas County, about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, and launched what became a secretive, weeks-long criminal investigation. Murder charges have been filed in Missouri against two men accused of killing and dismembering Cassidy Rainwater . Because of both the complexity of death penalty cases and full case loads for a small staff, they tend to be more drawn out. (TCD) -- Two Missouri men accused of kidnapping Cassidy Rainwater also face murder charges after Rainwaters dismembered remains were found in a freezer and on a nearby property. When police visited Phelps property, they found the same scene from the photographs provided by the FBI, according to an affidavit by Dallas County Sheriffs Department Sergeant Robby Simmons. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Deputies report they found other DNA belonging to Cassidy on an adjacent property belonging to the late Bill Rainwater, Cassidy's grandfather. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Her mother's body was found in 2008 in Laclede County. We want to hear it. If you want a pest-free patio this spring, the most important thing you can do is take away those elements that bugs find desirable. Prosecutors previously charged Phelps and Norton with kidnapping over the disappearance of Rainwater in mid-September, following an FBI tip that led to their arrests. He also told the deputy that at the end of July 2021, Rainwater had left in the middle of the night and met with someone in a vehicle at the end of the driveway and he had not seen or heard from her since. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. Springfield City Officials say they dont have any further information at this time. The murder charges were announced on Wednesday. According to court documents, Cassidy Rainwater's remains have been found on a property belonging to two men accused of kidnapping her and keeping her in a cage. James Phelps and Timothy Norton appeared in court Tuesday. Investigators searched Phelps' home near Lebanon, Missouri, for seven days and found the gantry crane, cage and items in the freezer that appeared to be 'human flesh,' Rice said. All a sudden, the house collapsed and the flames got bigger. Admonishing true crime fans who were sitting in their apartment or their mommy and daddys basement eating Great Value cheese puffs and drinking box wine, he went on to say that the public should stop hanging on very word is this type of crap. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been in custody since. An amended criminal complaint shows the two men each still face a kidnapping charge as well as a felony count of abandonment of a corpse, saying they knowingly disposed of the corpse of Cassidy Rainwater at or near Phelps property without notifying authorities. Cassidy was at the property looking for her missing mother. In a September announcement of Phelps arrest, Sheriff Scott Rice had said, Due to the extreme nature of the crime and the continuation of the investigation, additional details cannot be released at this time., Editors picks The Dallas County Sheriff's Office laid out the case on social media today, announcing details surrounding the murder. Due to the nature of the plea, there was no criminal trial. His attorneys said they will ask a judge to set a bond. Norton was interviewed again on Sept. 20 at the Dallas County Sheriffs Office. Also on Friday, according to online court records, Judge Jill Porter sentenced Phelps to life in prison with no chance for parole. On Wednesday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Department announced the murder charges. Federal investigators said no one has seen Cassidy Rainwater since July. Police say the 33-year-olds remains were found in a freezer at the home of one of the men accused of kidnapping her in Windyville, an unincorporated Ozarks community about 160 miles from Kansas City. 24. In September of 2021, Phelps was arrested after law enforcement received images that showed Rainwater in a cage and bound to a . They allegedly recovered messages between Phelps and Norton planning Rainwaters murder on Jul. Rachel Nicholson, who moved to Lebanon recently, said she saw the home go up in flames from a distance. Investigators say Norton admitted to holding down Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her. Days after Phelps arrest, Norton confessed to the FBI that he had murdered Rainwater. She would stop by, and she would talk to us when we were outside working. After entering, they say, Norton said he held Cassidys legs down while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head.. News of the positive identification was accompanied by the release of sickening new details concerning the kidnapping victim's death, including how the 33-year-old woman was strangled to death, strapped to a crane, eviscerated and cut into pieces, according to authorities. At the time he told investigators he had not seen. Police had found her remains in a freezer in September, and according to reports, in containers that were labelled with the date 7/24, and which later matched DNA for Ms Rainwater. Phelps is due in court this Friday, and Norton will appear on Nov. 23. James D. Phelps entered an Alford plea for a charge of first-degree murder in a Dallas County court today, April 28. Court records say Phelps had seven photos of Rainwater on his cellphone that showed her partially nude body inside the cage in the small, rundown home where he was living. Two men are charged with her murder after photos showed her evisceration and dismemberment By Andrea Marks November 18,. More than a month after their arrests, no additional charges had been filed against Phelps and Norton. The public defenders did not request bond during the hearing. On Sept. 16, investigators received a search warrant for James Phelps cellphone, and court records say they found seven photos of Cassidy Rainwater partially nude being held in a cage on his property on Moon Valley Road in Lebanon in Dallas County. ", The statement adds: "Detectives recognized items in Phelps back yard that coincided with the photos. Cassidy Rainwater The last person to see her was Phelps, who had been interviewed by officers right after the missing person's report was filed. 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After tests confirmed that the labeled remains found in a freezer inside Phelps rented home were Rainwaters, the charges were upgraded to murder several weeks later. I called 911 because I was worried about it catching the woods on fire and spreading to the other houses.. The Dallas County Sheriffs Office has now revealed that the cage was the least of Rainwaters torment: She was strangled by the two men before being gutted and dismembered, according to the officials. The crime scene was investigated for seven days in mid-September, and according to the Sheriffs Office, investigators collected the gantry device, cage, and "items from the freezer that appeared to be human flesh with a date written on them of 7-24.". Phelps is one of two suspects in the Cassidy Rainwater murder case. Ad Choices, According to a news release from the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, According to court documents cited by WDAF-TV, The Sheriffs Office said in a news release, detonated an explosive device near the fire, Murder charges filed on the Cassidy Rainwater case Dallas County Sheriffs Office Facebook, Murder charges filed in death of southwest Missouri woman as grisly details revealed - Kansas City Star, Cassidy Rainwater case: Home of alleged kidnapper burns down after new evidence uncovered, 10/7/21 - TCD, 2 Missouri men arrested for allegedly keeping missing woman in a cage, 9/30/21 - TCD, Missouri men accused of keeping missing woman locked in cage, court records say, 9/28/2021 - WDAF. Rainwater was last seen alive in mid-July. In a 2003 yearbook from Harrisonville High School in Cass County, shes listed as a freshman. Investigators ruled the fire as undetermined and criminal. James Phelps, one of two kidnapping suspects charged in the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater, had previously rented the home. By Two men charged in September with felony kidnapping have now been charged with murder in the missing persons case of Cassidy Rainwater, a Missouri woman who appeared caged and partially nude in photos sent to the FBI. Phelps will appear in court Friday. I dont think Cassidy would have ever run off without keeping in contact with her family, she said. Officials investigating the fire found two explosive devices made with mortar tubes and balloon covers, with tripwires attached, near the home. On Sept. 16, an FBI agent in Kansas City contacted detectives in the Sheriff's Department after receiving an anonymous tip about photos that allegedly showed Rainwater being held in a cage, reported CBS affiliate KFVS in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He said hed held Rainwaters legs while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head. He told investigators he was an over-the-road trucker and lives in his truck even when he was not actively working, police said. No motive has been revealed in connection with Rainwater's brutal killing. "Norton stated that Phelps bound her to the gantry crane and Phelps began evisceration and dismemberment of Cassidy's body. Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice initially said it could be at least 30 days before any results are returned. Court documents accuse Phelps and Norton of holding Cassidy Rainwater in a cage on Moon Valley Road near Windyville, Missouri. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, were hit with the murder counts as well as being charged with abandonment of a corpse. Investigators confirmed they were waiting for DNA evidence to return in the disappearance of Cassidy Rainwater. Nearly four months after Cassidy Rainwater went missing, the Dallas County prosecutor officially upgraded charges against Phelps and Norton. Warner Bros. Entertainment | Police have not yet given a motive for the grisly crime, but they say Phelps and Norton planned it in advance. On Monday, the Dallas County Sheriffs Officereleased a statement on Facebookstating that the FBI has recovered several items that will be used to further the investigation. 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Very few details on this case have been released by the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, including whether Cassidy Rainwater has been found. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been . Phelps had admitted to police that Rainwater had been living on his property, but he repeatedly tried to deflect investigators scrutiny, telling them that she up and left suddenly in late July after voicing plans to leave for Colorado. ", After the 33-year-old woman was dead, "he and Phelps took a short break before carrying her body outside," according to the statement. I dont understand what makes people get like that, says Williams. Norton said he held Rainwater down while Phelps put a plastic bag over her head and strangled her, according to Rice. When police followed up on this. She wasnt reported missing to authorities until nearly one month later. what really happened to Cassidy Rainwater. Both remain jailed in Dallas County. Our team of reporters stayed in constant contact with Dallas County Sheriff Scott Rice for updates in the disappearance of Rainwater. KY3 spoke to a woman who lives near the home. The 50 Worst Decisions in Music History The Sheriffs Office said in a news release that a crime lab confirmed the remains recovered from the freezer were Rainwaters. DALLAS COUNTY, Mo. Williams says that a lack of information coming from investigating authorities is leading an entire community to speculate. Digital. On Sept. 16, the FBI contacted Dallas County detectives with the photographs. Fire crews from multiple stations were working to put out hotspots. She says that she moved to Dallas County to get away from violence in Kansas City. Evidence found in a September search included Rainwater's remains. In a Springfield Bomb Squad report, investigators said they found an incendiary device during a fire at the home connected to James Phelps. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Authorities arrested Phelps and then found the slew of evidence on his property that was revealed by the sheriffs office on Wednesday. Investigators ruled the blaze an arson and found two. The detective noticed the loft on the property looked like it had been stripped, and they did not notice any belongings of Cassidys at the loft at that time. James Phelps and Timothy L. Norton have been charged with kidnapping 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater who was reported missing on July 24. On Aug. 25, police spoke to Phelps, who allegedly claimed Rainwater had been staying with him temporarily, and then one night, left likely for Colorado. The little I did watch I didnt hear anything bad, and then all of a sudden Im hearing about a guy whos got women locked up, and possible torture. One of the two men charged in the Dallas County kidnapping and death of Cassidy Rainwater entered an Alford plea on Friday and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. 2 Missouri Men Charged After Allegedly Kidnapping 33-Year-Old Woman and Keeping Her in a Cage, Inside the Phone Call Between Lori Vallow Daybell and Husband as Police Searched for Kids' Remains, Man Allegedly Killed Wanted Suspect in His Mother's Murder Before He Could Be Found by Police, Husband Who Allegedly Searched 'How Long Before a Body Starts to Smell' Indicted on Accusation He Killed Wife, Family Says Black Man Was Found Decapitated in Mississippi, Believes He Was Targeted by 'Lynch Mob', Wisconsin Woman Charged in 2022 Dismemberment Case Attacks Attorney at Competency Hearing, Washington, D.C., Police Sergeant Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting of Man Asleep in Car, Texas Mom Allegedly Stabs 4-Year-Old Son to Death in Front of Her Mother; Both Women Charged, Missing Woman Found Possibly Dismembered in Texas; Suspect Allegedly Searched 'How to Be a Serial Killer', Dismembered Remains of N.C. 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Sheriff's deputies were contacted in late August by a woman who said Rainwater hadn't been seen for a month and Phelps was the last person she was seen with. **DISCLAIMER - Some people may find further details in this story to be disturbing.**. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. All pre-trial hearings in Phelps' case will still be held in Dallas County, and even at the trial in Jasper County, Dallas County Judge Jill Porter will preside. Cassidy Rainwater's remains found on accused kidnappers' property in Missouri, court docs reveal During a search, investigators on the scene of the Moon Valley Road property found the. against Timothy Norton, 56, and James Phelps, 58, in a statement on Facebook, and court documents reveal new disturbing details of the case. (KY3) - The Dallas County Sheriffs Office led a months-long investigation into the disappearance and death of Cassidy Rainwater, a case that took national spotlight several weeks after she initially went missing. Im continuing to pray for her family. (KOLR) Cassidy Rainwater, the woman seen in a dark web photo being held in a cage in a partially nude state, was reported missing in August. Phelps' co-defendant, Timothy Norton, faces the same charges. The Ozarks home where 33-year-old Cassidy Rainwater was allegedly kept in captivity burned to the ground after authorities found a tripwire and a "live incendiary device." In September, Phelps twice told investigators that Rainwater was staying with him while she got on her feet, but he said he hadn't seen her since she left about a month ago and that she was going to Colorado, Rice said. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Nms is the Arabic word (Greek "") of a concept of an ethical category, a virtue, in Middle Eastern patriarchal character. Sheriff Rice said more of her remains were found scattered on a nearby property belonging to her grandfather Bill Rainwater. Per court documents, investigators say Norton admitted that Phelps asked him to help kill Rainwater while she was staying at Phelps home. "Norton told FBI agents that Phelps had him come over while Cassidy was sleeping [on] the living room floor, so he had easy access to attack Cassidy," reads the statement. 24. Phelps told police at the time that Rainwater had been staying with him until she could get back on her feet, according to court documents, and that she had talked about going to Colorado before disappearing in the middle of the night about a month earlier. He said that Cassidy had been staying with him until she could get back on her feet, court records say. Rumours about what happened to Ms Rainwater forced Scott Rice, the Dallas County sheriff, to decry what he called Fake News on Facebook in October. I am very upset by it.. James Phelps, 58, and Timothy Norton, 56, have been charged with the kidnapping of Cassidy Rainwater. Cassidy Rainwater (Dallas County Sheriff's Office) Some of Rainwater's remains were found in an adjacent property and in a freezer with "7-24" written on them, authorities said. The two later carried her dismembered body inside to the bathtub. Per court records, that is when he admitted details to authorities about restraining Rainwater back in July. Dallas County land records show that the Rainwater family still owns land that surrounds the unsecured crime scene. Court documents reveal that beyond showing Rainwater in a cage, additional photos the FBI had shared with county detectives in September showed Rainwaters body bound to a gantry crane device (commonly used for processing wild game), and depicted her evisceration and dismemberment. Authorities had also found what were confirmed by lab testing to be Rainwaters remains packaged in a freezer and dated 7-24, court documents said, and had discovered skeletal remains on the property that they believe to be Rainwaters, as well. In partnership with Police interviewed Timothy Norton on the disappearance of Rainwater. Norton was arrested on September 20 after speaking to authorities. There are as many as 23 remains being looked into. The FBI contacted Dallas County Sheriff's Office saying they had received an anonymous tip that Cassidy Rainwater was caged up on a property rented by Phelps. "Norton stated, after entering the house, he held Cassidy's legs down while Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. New motions filed in James. Additionally, 200 pieces of evidence were reportedly recovered, including digital evidence from electronic devices. According to court records, attorneys for Norton filed a motion to address his bond and possibly seek a release from jail, though the motion was not approved. Phelps and Norton appeared before a Dallas County judge via a webcam over their kidnapping charges, represented by different public defenders. Sheriff Rice said Phelps were classmates in school and friends for several decades. Breaks Down His Killer White House Correspondents Dinner Set, Pharrells Something in the Water Fest Cancels Final Day Due to Severe Weather, Stagecoach: Kane Brown Breaks Mental Health Stigma With 'Memory,' Talks Depression, Bernie Sanders: Many GOP Leaders 'Don't Even Believe in Democracy'. James Phelps appeared in court on Nov. 19, just two days after his amended charges. Phelps' co-defendant, Timothy Norton, faces the same charges. Members of the surrounding community are still without answers, and some are turning to any source of information they can get. Shes a member of the investigative team focusing on watchdog journalism. A Dallas County deputy had alerted a firefighter after discovering a trip wire near the home. "Phelps stated he had not seen Cassidy since.". The Sheriffs Office said Norton told FBI agents that Phelps asked him to come over to his home, and he held Cassidys legs down as "Phelps strangled her and placed a bag over her head" before bounding Rainwater to the gantry crane where they started the "evisceration and dismemberment of Cassidys body.".
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